Fitness Boot Camp Marketing Fundamentals

Posted by Steve Hochman on Mon. Jan. 27th, 2014

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Fitness boot camp marketing isn’t very different from marketing another type of personal training business. In fact, when it comes right down to it- marketing a boot camp is actually a lot less costly than it’s one-on-one personal training counterpart, so that’s something to consider if you’re thinking of starting a fitness business and haven’t decided which business model to adopt.

Marketing is the lifeblood of your business so if you don’t have a very good grasp on it, don’t worry. This post is all about laying down the fundamentals and getting more clients for your business.

But before we get into any of that- there’s one thing that we have to get crystal clear. One important aspect to your business that, if you don’t have it, will make growing your business impossible. And that one thing is RESULTS. You have to know how to get your boot camp clients results. Look, you’re a personal trainer and if you can’t get this one thing right then you’re not cut out to be a fitness business owner.

If your clients aren’t completely raving over their results then that’s your first marketing step. Get results. Now, let’s say that you already know how to get your clients results like the professional you are- are you delivering an awesome experience? That’s fitness marketing step number two. Get results and create exciting workouts that don’t bore your clients.

Once you’ve got these two basic things down pat, you’re ready to roll out with some of these other awesome marketing techniques.

Referral GenerationScreen Shot 2014-01-27 at 4.07.25 PM

Referrals are great- they come to you already trusting what you have to offer because they were recommended to you by a loved one and they’re much easier to sell to than someone who just found you off the street. Having referral generation systems in place will help you to get more of the leads that convert.

One way to naturally get clients to refer you is for you to have a banging boot camp, and just like we mentioned earlier- you have to do your part to make sure that you’re getting results and that you’re creating an awesome experience for people to be raving about your boot camp.

Not only should you do all that, but you also need to set the expectation for referrals early on. When a new clients signs on with you, be sure to say something like, “Mrs. Smith, as I help you become more fit and in the best shape possible, can I count on you to help me get what I’m after, which is more awesome clients like yourself?”

By setting up this expectation first and foremost, you’re never going to feel awkward asking for them down the line, should you ever need to. And most will appreciate you being up front about it. And if you’re going out of your way to deliver results and a great experience, your clients will have no problem recommending you to their friends and family.

If you have a boot camp that’s already established then running a referral contest is a great way to get more leads quickly. Make the prize worthwhile like an iPad or something cool, and give out points for referrals. The client with the most points wins the prize. Award the prize in front of everyone and make a big deal out of it so that others will know that you reward referrals. Read the rest of Fitness Boot Camp Marketing Fundamentals

Posted in Boot Camp Business, Boot Camp Marketing, Boot Camp Strategies, How To Start a Fitness Boot Camp Business by Steve Hochman | No Comments

Starting a Fitness Business Off Right

Posted by Steve Hochman on Tue. Jan. 21st, 2014

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Starting a fitness business, whether it’s group personal training like a boot camp or it’s a one-on-one personal training studio, is the natural progression for personal trainers who want to branch out. Especially if they’re stuck in a big box gym without much freedom. Learning the ins and outs of starting a business probably feels very overwhelming, but when it comes to fitness businesses there are tons of low-cost (and even free) ways that you can market so you’re constantly signing on new clients.

Here are three fitness marketing tips that you can use to start your gym or boot camp off without a hitch.

Who’s Your Ideal Client?yourpassion

This is vitally important to figure out. Who do you want to serve most in your fitness business? Who is going to benefit the most from my program? By asking yourself these kinds of questions, you’ll be able to narrow down a niche for you to market and cater to. The reason this is so crucial is because your business will rely on marketing. Marketing to get you leads, which turn into clients, but in order for your marketing to be effective- it has to speak to a specific audience.

Not defining your niche market is actually one of the biggest mistakes that new fitness business owners can make. People buy things when they feel like their problems will be solved or when they feel understood, and it’s important to remember this when coming up with your target market. Once you know who you’re selling to, it’s easier to speak their language and get them buy personal training from you.

Good examples of niche markets include new moms who want to lose weight, student athletes, baby boomers or the elderly, busy people who don’t have time to work out, or those who are looking for complete body transformations. The more niche your program, the more you can market the hell out of it. If you chose to market to any and everyone from age 10 to 90 then you’ll have a much harder time making a connection with your potential clients.

Build Relationships

Believe it or not, being a fitness business owner means that you have to be social. Social with your leads, potential clients, and current clients. In order to grow your business to massive success you have to get your name out there and one way to do that is to take the time to build relationships. Relationships with local businesses that relate to your niche market. See a pattern here? You really can’t do much until you narrow down who you’d ideally like to serve.

Once you’ve defined your niche market, find out where these people like to hang out. For moms it might be a gymnastic center or a hair salon. For student athletes it might be some type of trendy, healthy type of restaurant or cafe. Also consider the businesses that are in a close vicinity to yours, whether or not they relate to your niche or not, and ask them how you can promote THEIR business to your clients, then you’ll have the opportunity to ask for their help.

You always want to go into these businesses with a giving hand. Help others so they’ll be more likely to help you. Say something like, “Hi! My name is JOE and I own the local fitness studio down the street and what I’d like to do is offer you free personal training for the next 30 days (or whatever you feel is appropriate) so you can come in and see what we’re all about, and I’d like to let my clients know about your business because they might want to come in and get their hair done (or whatever the business is). Do you have any handouts I can give to my clients?”

Then, you’ll want to follow up with them in a week or so to let them know that the handouts they gave you were a big hit (even if they weren’t). Ask them if they’re able to help you out by promoting your business to their clients and email lists. Let them know about any special offer that you have going on and even give them a couple of coupons or flyers or postcards (if you have them), heck even business cards will help.

Get Clients Fast Read the rest of Starting a Fitness Business Off Right

Posted in Boot Camp Business, Boot Camp Marketing, How To Start a Fitness Boot Camp Business by Steve Hochman | No Comments

3 Tips on How to Sell Personal Training More Effectively

Posted by Steve Hochman on Fri. Jan. 17th, 2014

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Being a personal trainer, no one really gives you the blueprint on how to sell your services when trying to get more clients to grow your business. Selling is important because if you’re not able to convert the people who are interested in training with you into paying customers then you’re never going to have a successful business. As personal trainers, we are the ones who change people’s lives for the better, but it’s impossible to do so without selling them the fitness packages they need to get results. The more people you help, the more money you’ll earn in return.

So, here are a couple of tips on how to sell personal training to help you increase your closing rate:

1. Learn to Love Salessales

Okay, that may sound a little cheesy, but it’s important that you have a positive outlook on sales in order to be good at it. If you view it as an “unnecessary evil” in growing your business then you’ve got the wrong idea. Sales and personal training go hand in hand. You want to have a good relationship with your clients, right? Learn how to sell to them in a way that it doesn’t even feel like a sale, but more like a friend trying to help another lose weight and get in shape. Most personal training or boot camp business that fail do so because they lack the ability to convert leads into clients. Be open minded about sales, and try not to hate the process.

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to stop thinking of sales as a negative thing. Selling only feels negative because we all hate getting sold to insincerely, so if you have a better outlook on it then you’ll come across much more genuine and likeable.

2. Be Passionate.

Energy is contagious, and if you’re fired up about helping your potential clients lose weight and look great then that will show whenever you sit down to meet with them. Even if selling isn’t your strong point, being passionate about your services will help sell more than if you were unenthusiastic. No one wants to train with someone who lacks energy, so make sure that you’re excited and in a good mood during consultations.

Remind yourself of why you became a personal trainer in the first place. It’s not an easy job, and not an easy business to run if you’ve got one, but if you remind yourself that you’re in it to help people then you really can’t go wrong. You have to have a passion for changing lives and if you do, you’ll grow your business faster than you thought possible and achieve the type of freedom you want.

3. Figure Out the Reason Why.

People from all walks of life will come to you for help with weight loss, muscles building, strength training, or just to become healthier overall, and it’s your job to find out why. Why does the person you’re meeting with want/need your help? And why do they want/need it now? They may have been overweight for years, so what would finally drive them to seek help? Read the rest of 3 Tips on How to Sell Personal Training More Effectively

Posted in Boot Camp Business, Boot Camp Marketing, Fitness Business, Fitness Marketing, How To Start a Fitness Boot Camp Business by Steve Hochman | No Comments

Marketing a Personal Training Business Through Social Media

Posted by Steve Hochman on Tue. Jan. 14th, 2014

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If you work hard as a personal trainer, it’s only natural to want to start up your own personal training business. Lots of successful fitness professionals started out on this path… working in a big box gym, slowly picking up clients here and there, then building up a big enough client base to venture out on their own.

But when it comes to growing a personal training business, and making it a huge success, a lot of personal trainers end up struggling because they lack the marketing experience they need to get people interested in their services. Marketing is vital for growing any business, whether it’s brand new or has been established for a while, but most new fitness business owners seem to gloss over this important step.

Marketing a personal training business doesn’t have to be that complicated or even that expensive if you have a few tricks up your sleeve. If you’re new to the biz, then don’t worry… there are plenty of resources out there to help you become a marketing master and business owner, a lot of which are right here on this blog.

So, here are a couple of simple ways you can market a personal training business without spending an arm and a leg.

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Social Media Marketing - Facebook

If you don’t have an official Facebook page for your business, then now is the time to start one. And don’t just use your personal Facebook profile to get the word out, start a new page for your business only. You want your business page to be as professional as possible, so mixing your personal account with your business one is definitely a bad idea. The goal of your marketing plan should be to get as many people in your community talking about your personal training business as you can, so you’re allowed to be a bit controversial, but aim to engage people so that you can build up a little buzz around your services. Make it a point to answer any questions that come your way and to interact with your fans on a regular basis to get a feel for what people in your area want.

Once you build up a little following, you can use Facebook as a source for topics to use in your email marketing campaign. Always get permission if you’re using someone’s name or what have you, but you can use an interesting topic that comes up and incorporate them into your website or email blasts. Most people love to see that they sparked a conversation and will probably share your email/promotion/or story, which will help to increase your number of fans.

Social Media Marketing – YouTube

Youtube is a powerful marketing tool that a lot of personal trainers seem to shy away from. Whether you’re comfortable on camera or not, you should try to make videos about your personal training business and put them up on Youtube. Marketing this way is very effective and super easy, not to mention cheaper than buying radio or air time.youtube-play-button

Get your videos to work for you by using Google’s free Keyword Tool to research what people are searching for in your area in terms of personal training or weight loss. Marketing a personal training business through sites like Youtube is a great way to get yourself in front of your local audience. There are over a million searches every month for things like “personal fitness training” and a lot of these are localized searches that you could be taking advantage of.

Take some of those keywords and use it to name your videos and for writing up your video description as well as in the headlines and content of articles that you’re writing (start a blog for your business if you haven’t already). You can then share this video all your friends and family, your current clients, you can post it on your website, and start using it as a tool to describe what you do. Read the rest of Marketing a Personal Training Business Through Social Media

Posted in Fitness Marketing, Personal Training Business by Steve Hochman | No Comments

Report on 2014 Fitness Industry Trends and Predictions You Don’t Want to Miss

Posted by Steve Hochman on Sat. Jan. 11th, 2014

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If you’re a personal trainer thinking of starting a fitness business, then let me let you… this is going to be your year. The results of my annual State of the Industry survey are in and 2014 is looking to be as promising as ever, especially with the economy bouncing back and spending on the rise.

Check out my fitness industry report and predictions for this year. There’s some interesting stuff you wouldn’t want to miss.

I response I got this year was amazing. It’s awesome that there are so many of you out there that are dying know which way the business is heading. The survey I took reached more fitness professionals than ever before, over 100,000, through different means like social media and my email subscriber list, which gives us a pretty accurate sample of the fitness industry and the professionals in it.

Here’s what was asked:

1. Primary source of business?

Group Training and Fitness Boot Camps - 57%

One on One Personal Training - 43%

2. Gross total income for 2013?

Group Training and Fitness Boot Camp - $238,376.84

One on One Personal Training - $66,768.29

3. What would you like to learn more of in 2014?

 - Online Fitness Marketing and Client Attraction

- Fitness Information Product Creation and Marketing

- Offline Fitness Marketing and Client Attraction

- Personal Training Sales and Closing Skills

In the past couple of years I’ve done this survey, the top two answers to the question “What would you like to learn more of” have always, hands down, been online fitness marketing and offline. But this year is a complete turn around for fitness info product creation, as it was chosen as the second most popular thing that fitness professionals want to learn more of. #1, of course, was online fitness marketing and client attraction, but it’s awesome to see that so many of you are interested in creating and selling online fitness info products.

So for 2014, expect more posts on online marketing tactics, fitness info products and how to create them as well as how to market them to the masses.

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Top Trends and Predictions for the Fitness Industry in 2014

1.) Nutrition and the rise of clean and healthier eating. Finally, people are starting to see that diet and nutrition a huge part of weight loss and fitness success. And not only are people catching on to proper diet and nutrition, we’re starting to see a big increase in diets that were typically only followed by athletes or really fit celebrities. Diets like gluten free, vegan, sugar free, Paleo, unprocessed food free, have been gaining popularity throughout 2013 and is sure to stay for 2014.

Just by taking a look at the top selling recipe and cookbooks for 2013 tells you that more and more people are taking their nutrition seriously. This is awesome news for personal trainers because what we’ve been saying and preaching all along is becoming more of the norm and accepted among more people. There’s less of a stigma for people to hire a personal trainer to help them with their weight loss.

2.) Challenging workouts are here for the long haul. Whether you love or hate them, intense workouts like those from CrossFit and P90X proved that challenging and dynamic workouts are exactly want the public wants. I see it all the time in our Fit Body Boot Camp locations where we use unconventional gym equipment like battling ropes, straps and sliders, kettlebells and sandbags, plyo boxes and resistance bands to train the “average” people who want to get fit, lose fat, and look like an athlete without being one.

Clients don’t want to see the same boring equipment, so it’s important to start incorporating some new and exciting exercise tools… if you haven’t already. They’ll get more out of it than they would passively jogging on a treadmill anyway, train them hard (but safe) and your clients will love you for it. (Though it may be a love/hate relationship!)

3.) Keep your workouts fresh. Do your best to make sure that each and every one of your workouts are unique. Clients are not okay with doing the same workout over and over again, even if you are using unconventional equipment or it produces awesome results. Our clients want change, and they want it as often as you can give it to them. It’s our duty to make sure that they’re paying attention so that they keep coming back to work hard for those results.

Unfortunately, a lot of personal trainers who own their own business tend to get burned out, and start to fall into a pattern of complacency and repetitiveness. And if you’re not careful, your clients will start referring you less and less and eventually find a new place to workout.

4.) Fitness info products are certainly going to be huge in 2014. The web is amazing at giving you the power to share your knowledge or special skill with people all over the world, not just in your area. Home workout videos, diet products, recipe and cookbooks, dynamic training programs continue to gain popularity and demand.

Who knows, maybe you’ll come up with the next big thing and reap massive profits this year. Read the rest of Report on 2014 Fitness Industry Trends and Predictions You Don’t Want to Miss

Posted in Fitness Business, Uncategorized by Steve Hochman | No Comments

How to Sell Fitness

Posted by Steve Hochman on Thu. Dec. 12th, 2013

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I know you love it. I know you’re good at it. I know you live it, BUT, it ain’t always easy SELLING it. I am talking about fitness.

I mean, it’s easy to sell a pill that promises fat loss, or a simple easy to follow DVD that guarantees the viewer will get ripped just by watching the thing every day for 6 weeks, BUT… selling a program that (while it really works) requires getting some serious commitment from the client and that can be a tough thing indeed. I mean, we ALL have tons of things in our life that we see as priorities… kids, groceries, the mortgage, and certainly all of those are important, but one that ranks up there at ALL times is our health, and a quality fitness program can be the key factor that keeps us healthy and living longer. (And better able to earn money for all those other necessities that exist in life as well!)

So, how can you take someone from a somewhat interested prospect into a contract signing (and PAYING) client? Here’s some simple but EXTREMELY important tips to follow that will show you how to sell fitness so you can begin selling more programs today:

Ask questions, don’t just TALK5W

I would say hands down the number 1 mistake most sales professionals make is talking too much. The key to selling ANYTHING is to ask questions then SHUT UP. Let the prospect do the talking and they will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know. Here are some key questions you can ask while you are trying to sell fitness programs:

  • What exactly are your fat loss/fitness goals?
  • How do you feel about your current body condition?
  • What are the things you love most about working out?
  • What do you love least about working out?
  • What is the main obstacle standing between you and committing to a fitness program?

Look at the questions above closely… notice anything? Not ONE of them is a YES or NO question. If you ask YES or NO questions, then, once the answer, the conversation is over. You have to get them talking, expanding on what you asked and then talking some more. The more they talk, the more you can repeat back to them what they said, develop an understanding, and use the info they gave you to create a program that meets their needs exactly.

Ask questions where YES is the only answer

HEY, DIDN’T YOU JUST SAY NOT TO ASK YES OR NO QUESTIONS!?

I did, but follow me here. You see, the more YES responses you can get from a client, the more likely it is that they will say YES to your fitness program. BUT, you don’t want to ask questions that could result in a no. Here are a few examples where YES will be the only answer:

  1. Getting into better shape so you have more energy and feel great would really add to your quality of life, wouldn’t you agree?
  2. So, getting into those skinny jeans that haven’t fit in years is one of your goals, is that fair to say? (this one would come after a conversation about their fitting into smaller jeans or something similar)
  3. If I can create a plan that will help you reach your fat loss and fitness goals while having fun that is within your budget, that would be something you are interested in, correct?

As you can see, the possibilities here are endless. These types of questions are good to pepper throughout your meeting with the prospect as well as adding a few back to back just before you ask for the sale.

When you DO talk, only talk about benefits

Along with talking too much comes with it the mistake of saying the wrong thing. When selling fitness better than any competitor, you need to only talk about what the client will get out of the fitness program (benefits) not just some aspects OF the program (features.) This can be a tricky area to navigate so to make it a little more simple, here are some examples to help you tailor your language as you meet with prospects:

Features (No-No’s!)

  • We have XXX certifications!
  • We have been in business for X number of years!
  • Our studio is newly painted! (Who gives a crap!)

The examples above, while nice, don’t tell the prospect anything about what THEY will get out of working with you, they only tell some aspects about the business. They use the words We or I instead of focusing the energy on the client. Here are some examples of BENEFITS that will go a long way in helping you land some clients:

  • http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-images-image33970359You will have access to certified trainers 7 days per week via phone or email support
  • You will receive a personalized workout program that is customized to help you reach your goal
  • You will have access to multiple eating plans that will help you make better food decisions and speed your fat loss
  • Our in house trainers will monitor your progress weekly so you know exactly how much fat and inches you have lost

These examples are the kind that make prospects mouths water and they speak to EXACTLY what they are trying to achieve.  The key is to use the language they used prior when you were in your questioning phase and repeat those things while telling them what they will receive by purchasing your fitness program. The bottom line is, people don’t eat cake because of the kind of sugar, flour, or eggs it was made with…they eat it because it tastes GOOD! Make your fitness program taste good to the prospect by letting them know it will help them get where they want to go.

Finally, ASK FOR THE SALE!

No matter how good your listening skills are, no matter how awesome your benefits conversation is, if at the end of the meeting you say something like “Well, let me know if we can ever help you!” then you won’t likely make much money. You have to be direct, you have to ASK for the sale! Whether it is selling cars or selling fitness, asking for the sale is the moment that you turn a prospect into a client. Be firm, be direct, reiterate your benefits, tell them the price, and ask them to commit. You see, prospects need our help in making buying decisions. If we leave it to them, they will often find a reason to say no or simply not commit, but if we ask them to go ahead and sign on the dotted line, oftentimes they will.

Selling fitness takes a little skill and a lot of patience. Listen to your prospects and provide them what they are looking for and you will do well. Practice your listening and selling skills whenever you get the chance. No matter how great of a trainer you are, without any clients, you are just a broke person with lots of skills…GOOD LUCK!

Posted in Boot Camp Business, Fitness Marketing, Personal Training Business by Steve Hochman | No Comments

5 Components of a Fitness Marketing Funnel

Posted by Steve Hochman on Thu. Dec. 5th, 2013

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A Fitness Marketing Guest Blog Post By Bedros Keuilian

Want to know a way to make your fitness marketing strategies more effective?

You need a marketing funnel to help you do just that.

What’s a marketing funnel?online-gym-marketing-370x200

A marketing funnel is a system that collects prospects and potential clients in one spot and then determines if those leads are ready to be turned from lookers into buyers. It is vitally important to your fitness business, but is often overlooked due most people not knowing how to go about developing one that actually works.

Your marketing funnel needs to be able to effectively bring in new leads and prospects on a consistent basis, teach your prospects about the products and services that you offer, and demonstrate how they’ll make your client’s life better so that those individuals will turn into customers who are more than happy to pay for your services.

A lot of the time, fitness trainers don’t really have a complete marketing funnel… they tend to have some parts there, but it’s not thought out well enough to pull in big enough profits. There’s just too many potential clients that fall into the cracks because their funnel isn't set up like it should be.

So, why do you need a marketing funnel? Because if you have any interest in growing your personal training business, then you're going to need a solid system that generates leads over the long term, which will help you to increase your profits.

Here's how your fitness marketing funnel should look:

1) Referrals should be your "go to" source of new clients when you're building your fitness marketing machine. However, unless you have enough clients to start with, it's kinda hard to build your business on referrals only.

2) Online traffic matters. Marketing on Facebook and sending traffic to a site that converts (opt in or low barrier offer) is one of the most reliable funnels right now.

Next is Google local, Yelp, and YouTube All three of these sites rank super high for local search results and can drive you a ton of FREE traffic in the form of very qualified leads and prospects.

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3) Deal of the Day promotions are still one of the top fitness marketing tactics you can use to get new clients - IF and ONLY if you make the right offer and have a systematized processes for converting deal buyers into long term paying clients.

4) Offline advertising still performs. Networking with local "feeder" businesses is easy and reliable. Folks still get and read their mail. Direct mail letters and postcards to targeted homes, making the right offer is still performing really well.

In fact, just three weeks ago one of my coaching clients sent out a four page direct mail marketing piece for her fitness business. She out the letters to 500 homes within three miles of her studio.

The entire campaign cost her $1800 which included the addresses, postage, printing, and having each envelope hand addressed. So far shes' gotten $23,600 in new training clients.

Good' ol direct mail still works.

5) List building and email marketing keep clients on tap. Create an email promotion, mail it out to your list, and get clients.

It's easy, low cost, and if you have a good relationship with your list then your results will be awesome each time you mail out.

You can get all of my best client getting and business building resources for up to 50% off, but only for this weekend.

Talk soon,

Bedros

Posted in Fitness Marketing, Personal Training Business, Uncategorized by Steve Hochman | No Comments

Top 3 Offline Personal Trainer Marketing Ideas You Can Implement Right Now

Posted by Steve Hochman on Mon. Nov. 11th, 2013

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One of the things that makes me mad as hell is hearing a trainer complain that they have tried EVERYTHING and still can’t seem to land any clients.

“The economy sucks!”

“Everyone is doing P90x!”

“No one wants Personal Training (bootcamps, small group training, insert excuse here….”

The fact of the matter is, in the world of fitness, there is almost ALWAYS a sustainable market for what you do, unless you live 100 miles from nowhere in a town with a population of 10. Not everyone has tried every type of program and if you have any kind of personality at all, there are surely clients out there waiting to jump into your program and give you money! What you have to do is put your offer in front of their face.

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While there are a ton of online methods to generate business these days, one type of personal trainer marketing that sometimes gets overlooked is the offline personal training marketing ideas that you can get up and running with right now! Here are 3 offline personal training marketing ideas to help get you off your butt and in front of clients ASAP!

1. Fliers - SO MANY people take fliers for granted. They are used to being handed one and then just throwing them away and assume everyone else does the same thing. Well, MANY will, but considering how cheaply you can print out a few hundred and put them directly in the hands of potential clients, it is still an incredibly valuable tool! Put together a simple but attractive flier with your offer on it, then hit neighborhoods! Knock, tell them who you are, hand them a flier and simply say “ If you are interested, I would love for you to check out our services, if not, I would love if you could pass this along to someone else who may be looking for a total transformation.” BOOM, here come the clients. It works.

2. Offering free personal training sessions - Nope, you don’t make any money when you offer free sessions, but you MAY make a bunch later on by doing them. Getting someone to TRY BEFORE THEY BUY is a great way to introduce you and what you do to a bunch of people. You can hit people in just about any location, a mall, grocery store, where every and hand them a card that is valued at X (could be a dollar amount, could be a number of free sessions or just one, whatever!) If they come to see you, chances are they are a good prospect and if you treat them well, they could be a client and more importantly, an ongoing referral source. Once you get people talking about you and having experienced what you do, it is much more likely they will use you and/or refer you. Personal trainer marketing by offering try before you buy is smart and is likely to make you loved AND get you clients. Do it. Read the rest of Top 3 Offline Personal Trainer Marketing Ideas You Can Implement Right Now

Posted in Boot Camp Marketing, Fitness Marketing by Steve Hochman | No Comments

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Marketing Your Fitness Services

Posted by Steve Hochman on Wed. Oct. 30th, 2013

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You are NOT in the fitness business.

Whoa… what did I just say? You are not in the fitness business!? Probably the fact that you train clients day in and day out, helping them lose fat, build muscle, and basically change their lives makes you beg to differ. BUT, the fact is, even with all that considered, there is something that you have to be even better at and that is the REAL core of your business…and it is called fitness marketing.

I know, sales and marketing are probably the last thing you want to think about, BUT, if your marketing plan sucks and you can’t get people to check out your services, then it won’t matter how kick butt of a trainer you are, because you won’t have anyone to train! This is the area where many fitness business owners fail and oftentimes it is not because they are not doing enough, but because what they are doing is WRONG.8270082827_c47cf0d071_z

These marketing mistakes can be extremely costly overtime and have caused literally thousands of businesses just like yours to close their doors because of lack of interest and income. Well, I say SCREW THAT!

Tighten up your fitness marketing, do the right things, and get those bodies sweating! Here is a simple list of 5 mistakes that many fitness business owners make that you should avoid if you want a thriving fitness business filled with eager bodies ready to be changed!

  • Not knowing who you are targeting - This one’s a biggie. You see, in a rush to want to change the world, too many fitness business owners believe that their product is for EVERYONE. Now, while it may be true that as a trainer, you really CAN help people from all walks of life, unless a person feels like you are speaking directly to THEM, they probably won’t even give you a second look. This means you need to be specific about what audience you are trying to reach. These could be stay at home moms, busy professionals, super fit WARRIORS, or people over the age of 65 who have never exercised a day in their life. Be specific, get the ear of your target audience, and they will respond!
  • Not creating an email list - This one kills me. Fact is, email marketing for personal trainers works! If you personally collect someone’s email, tell them you will email them, and then actually DO email them, they will oftentimes be responsive. You need to grab the email of EVERYONE you come in contact with! All past clients, people you meet in public, people who phone you, AND those who opt in for your special offer on your website. (That is the subject of another lesson, but it is VITAL that you are doing this in your business!) Make CERTAIN you have their permission to email them and always include a way to OPT OUT of your emails so you can be in compliance with SPAM laws. Read the rest of 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Marketing Your Fitness Services
Posted in Blog, Fitness Marketing by Steve Hochman | No Comments